Some MPs regard Truss’s performance as so poor and the budget as so disastrous that they want her removed as leader.
One former minister thought she could be forced out even before Kwarteng makes his next fiscal statement at the end of November. “I think she is gone and they just don’t realise,” he said.
Conservative party rules state that a new leader is protected from a no-confidence vote for a year. However, leading rebels point out that neither Johnson or May were forced out by a confidence vote.
Tory MPs openly discussed all options last week in the face of record-low poll ratings, including a mass walkout of ministers or the suspension of party rules to remove Truss. Many MPs are waiting for MPs to return after the political conference season before considering their next move.
One former cabinet minister said: “It’s a matter of when she goes and we, the parliamentary party, need to seriously work on getting rid of her as soon as possible. That gives us more time before the next general election to forget this awful episode.”
